Hotel Mansion Iturbe. International Cantoya Lantern Festival in Paracho

2012-07-11

It’s vacation time and Hotel Mansion Iturbe would like to recommend you a nice festival close to Patzcuaro. The Seventh Annual Festival Internacional de Globos de Cantoya (International Cantoya Lantern Festival), held in Paracho, JULY 20-21. Thirty groups from different states – and even Colombia and Brazil – will be represented.

This important festival is organized by the "Consejo para el Arte y Cultura Purépecha, Asociación Civil."

In addition to the traditional release of lanterns, there will also be workshops, shows, music and dance, artisans, and – of course – FOOD! It’s an event worth seeing as part of your summer vacation! Paracho is east-northeast of Patzcuaro, accessible by Federal Route 14.

Cantoya Lanterns are a real tradition of the area, going back 100 years. The lanterns are now made of crepe paper, but were first made of newspaper. Of course, crepe paper is much more colorful and brilliant and, once illuminated, they are just stunning.

One of the criteria in the judging of the lanterns is that they remain suspended in the air at least three minutes before freeing them into the air. Another criterion, of course, is the innovation of the designer. Those who attend the event are never disappointed.

The shapes and designs of the lanterns are endless; circles, cubes, tear-drop, two-tone and multi-colored, transluscent – anything else the artista can think of to make his or her lantern stand out among all the rest. A more elaborate structure may contain more than 1,500 pieces of crepe paper. They may be up to 25 feet high and weigh 25 pounds.

Canoya lanterns are a real tradition in Mexico. They are named after the first Mexican “aeronaut,” Don Joaquín de la Cantoya y Rico who, in 1863, rose in what we would now call a hot-air balloon in Mexico City, amazing all who happened to be looking up into the sky at the time.

Every time he went up in his “lantern,” Don Joaquín put on his “Charro” outfit – such as elegant Mariachi performers wear these days. Among the many anecdotes pertaining to this famous aeronaut was the occasion on which he accidentally fell into the Palacio Nacional.

Little did Don Joaquín de la Cantoya y Rico know that his fame and success would some day turn into a favorite festival of lanterns!

Discover the fascinating Internatioinal Festival of the Cantoya Lanterns in Paracho! Stay at the Hotel Mansión Iturbe in Patzcuaro and learn more about Ruta Don Vasco. Enjoy “Third Night Free” this summer 2012!

*Text and pictures property of Hotel Mansion Iturbe in Patzcuaro.

All this Pictures where taken at the II World Fail of Cultural Tourism in Morelia, during an exhibition made by the people from Paracho who are renown for their famous "Globos de Cantoya".

We recomend you to check this video from last year festival in Paracho: